The Mavericks have added size and versatility this offseason, but their roster still lacks backcourt depth. One move could bring the balance Dallas has been chasing.
Dallas finished last season with one of the most forward-heavy rosters in the NBA. PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson, Max Christie and Cooper Flagg filled the wing rotation, while Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell handled the frontcourt. The backcourt behind the injured Kyrie Irving consisted primarily of Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams, forcing Flagg to spend a significant portion of his rookie season at the one and two.
The team went 26-56. The imbalance was real. Whether it gets fixed this offseason depends entirely on what the front office does with the veterans it is actively shopping.
The offseason additions so far have only deepened the frontcourt. Morez Johnson Jr. gives Dallas a mobile 6-foot-9 power forward with rim protection upside and familiarity with new head coach Dusty May. The pending Santi Aldama trade from Memphis adds another versatile forward who shot 36.8% from three last season. Between Flagg, Washington, Marshall, Christie, Johnson and Aldama, Dallas has more wings and forwards than minutes to distribute. The backcourt remains the clear weakness.
Irving's return is the most significant upgrade. He averaged 24.7 points, 5.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 49.7% from the field in 2024-25 before the ACL injury. Having him healthy removes the burden that fell on Nembhard, Williams and a teenage Flagg for much of last season. Nembhard averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 assists in 60 games and looks like a reliable backup point guard who organizes the second unit without needing a high-usage role.
Marc Stein reported July 1 that Dallas is the leading suitor to trade for Detroit's Marcus Sasser. The moratorium lifted July 6, but no deal had been announced until Tuesday evening's reported 6-team exchange. Sasser shot 41.5% from three last season and brings the defensive intensity expected from a player developed at the University of Houston. At $5.2 million on an expiring contract, the risk is minimal.
Brandon Williams is drawing interest from the Suns, Warriors and Celtics as an unrestricted free agent. Whether he stays or leaves, the guard rotation is in better shape than it was a year ago.
Dusty May's system has always favored size, at Florida Atlantic and Michigan he played bigger lineups that switched defensively, controlled the glass and finished at the rim. Dallas' forward-heavy roster fits that style. The front office is shopping Washington, Gafford and Thompson. Moving one of those veterans would ease the frontcourt logjam and, ideally, bring back another guard to balance the roster.
